Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Main Engines

Power for Lift-oﬀ and Ascent to Orbit

By Sandra Hughes, September 20, 2016

1. Main Engines Marker

Inscription.

Main Engines. Power for Lift-off and Ascent to Orbit. The Pathfinder’s three main engines are real. The two lower engines powered the first flight of Columbia in 1981. The engine located at the top was used in ground test firings. . . At launch, the three Space Shuttle Main Engines (fed liquid hydrogen and oxygen from the External Tank) are ignited several seconds before liftoff. . . They operate for approximately 8.5 minutes of flight, drawing about 47,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 17,000 gallons of liquid oxygen each minute. Shortly before the shuttle achieves orbit the Main Engines shut down and maneuvering rockets fire to position the Shuttle into its final orbit. Reusable each engine is designed for 7.5 hours of operation or to endure up to 55 starts. . .

The Pathfinder’s three main engines are real. The two lower engines powered the first flight of Columbia in 1981. The engine located at the top was used in ground test firings.

At launch, the three Space Shuttle Main Engines (fed liquid hydrogen and oxygen from the External Tank) are ignited several seconds before liftoff.

They operate for approximately 8.5 minutes of flight, drawing about 47,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and 17,000 gallons of liquid oxygen each minute. Shortly before the shuttle achieves orbit the Main Engines shut down and maneuvering rockets fire to position the Shuttle into its final orbit. Reusable each engine is designed for 7.5 hours of operation or to endure up to 55 starts.

Location. 34° 42.647′ N, 86° 39.156′ W. Marker is in Huntsville, Alabama, in Madison County. Marker can be reached from Tranquility Base 0.4 miles west of Madison Pike, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville AL 35805, United States of America.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 21, 2016, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa. This page has been viewed 252 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 21, 2016, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

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